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Sacramento group makes bid for Kings

By ANTONIO GONZALEZ

The Associated Press

The Seattle vs. Sacramento showdown is set.

The NBA received an official offer Friday from 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov and billionaire Ron Burkle to buy the Sacramento Kings and keep the team from moving to Seattle, league spokesman Tim Frank said. No financial details of the proposal have been released.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced the Mastrov-Burkle bid during his State of the City address Thursday night, calling it a “competitive offer.” Johnson tweeted Friday: “The proposal is IN!! A proud day for Sacramento!!”

The Associated Press has reported since Jan. 22 that Mastrov and Burkle were working on a plan to keep the Kings from relocating to Seattle.

Johnson finally announced the proposal publicly on the eve of his self-imposed March 1 deadline. With the league confirming the prospective Sacramento buyers, the only major announcement left is the future owners — and location — of the franchise.

The NBA Board of Governors is expected to vote by mid-April on the Seattle bid. If the league blocks the deal, the Maloofs would still have to agree to sell the team to any potential buyers.

The choice appears to be a tough one for owners. About the only certainty in the seemingly never-ending Sacramento saga came in NBA Commissioner David Stern’s statements during All-Star weekend in Houston.

Mastrov, among the final bidders for the Golden State Warriors before Joe Lacob and Peter Guber bought the team for an NBA-record $450 million in 2010, is hoping to become the majority owner of the Kings.